General information
Part of Conflict: n/a
First Battle Related Death: 1991-04-19
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 1991-04-22
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: The non-state conflict between Christians (Nigeria) and Muslims (Nigeria) in Nigeria is first included in UCDP data in 1991. In late April of that year, religiously motivated organized violence resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.
Conflict issues
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1991
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 550 |
| Best | 350 |
| Low | 300 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
1992
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 200 |
| Best | 200 |
| Low | 4 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
1994
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 4 |
| Best | 4 |
| Low | 4 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
1995
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
1996
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 2 |
| Best | 2 |
| Low | 2 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
1999
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2000
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 5211 |
| Best | 1853 |
| Low | 1348 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2001
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 12 |
| Best | 12 |
| Low | 12 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2002
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 479 |
| Best | 201 |
| Low | 196 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2003
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 13 |
| Best | 11 |
| Low | 11 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2004
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1456 |
| Best | 1281 |
| Low | 901 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2006
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 181 |
| Best | 141 |
| Low | 141 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2007
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 16 |
| Best | 16 |
| Low | 16 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2009
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 14 |
| Best | 11 |
| Low | 11 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2010
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 284 |
| Best | 104 |
| Low | 104 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2011
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1167 |
| Best | 880 |
| Low | 880 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2012
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 133 |
| Best | 126 |
| Low | 126 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2013
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2014
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 474 |
| Best | 336 |
| Low | 329 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2015
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 25 |
| Best | 25 |
| Low | 25 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2016
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 147 |
| Best | 129 |
| Low | 117 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2017
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 35 |
| Best | 20 |
| Low | 20 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2018
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 80 |
| Best | 36 |
| Low | 36 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2019
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2020
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 12 |
| Best | 12 |
| Low | 12 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2022
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 50 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
2023
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Christians (Nigeria)): n/a
Side B (Muslims (Nigeria)): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1991 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The discrepancy concerning the death toll can be ascribed to the fact that in the tumultuous situation that the riots and killings took place it was difficult to asses to which actor the deaths belonged, and from what type of violence the fatalities stemmed.
Comment on Active: The conflict between Christians and Muslims erupted in late April 1991. It originated as a local dispute concerning the use of a slaughterhouse, but soon escalated into religiously divided and organised violence. The violence in 1991 consisted of three separate events; all three were reported as widespread religious riots. Commonplace in these riots was the burning of churches and mosques.
Terminated: NO
1992 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The low figure of four represents the four people who died as a direct result of the dispute concerning the water reservoir; the remaining 196 are reported by news media as fatalities in connection to the rioting that erupted following the reservoir dispute.
Comment on Active: The violence in 1992 is confined to one single event. What started out as a quarrel with regards to the use of a water reservoir between two female school teachers soon spiralled out of control and resulted in religious riots, approximately 200 people lost their lives in the ensuing riots.
Terminated: NO
1994 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
1995 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
1996 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
1999 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2000 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The difference in the high and best estimates of fatalities stem from the confusing context of the riots. In the first event of the year hospital sources claimed over 200 fatalities while police confirmed 53, these different accounts lead to a discrepancy in the estimates
Comment on Active: Two clashes were reported by news media in 2000, the issue of imposing Sharia law in the northern parts of Nigeria prompted the violence.
Terminated: NO
2001 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2002 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: 2002 saw repeated non-state clashes between the Hausa-Fulani and indigenes, Hausa-Fulani known to be Muslim and "indigenes" in Jos known to be Christians. Although official sources played down the ethnic and religious dimension for fear of further conflicts, analysts argued that the violence originated as reprisal attacks for religious and ethnic violence in Jos in September 2001, which pitted Anagutas, Birom and Afisare against Fulani and Hausa. The violence mainly took the form of village raids, often including the torching of houses or killing of cattle. Sophisticated rifles and guns as well as machetes, bows and arrows were used in the violence. The government attempted to end the violence through dialogue as well as increased deployment of security personnel, but the non-state violence continued throughout the year.
Terminated: NO
2003 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2004 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 2004, clashes broke out between the Christians and Muslims in Numan, the main Bachama town. The clashes broke out due to a dispute over the rebuilding of a mosque that had been destroyed in fighting between the groups the previous year. Fighting broke out as Bachama youths attacked the workers who had started rebuilding the mosque. Over a hundred people died in the ensuing clashes.
Non-state clashes between Tarok and Fulani broke out in Wase and Shendam districts in south-eastern Plateau state also broke out in February 2004. During the first half of the year, these clashes escalated into massive organised attacks. Both groups mobilised support in the fighting along religious lines, and Christians and Muslims belonging to other ethnic groups than the Tarok and the Fulani were sometimes among the perpetrators, or victims, of the violence. On 24 February, clashes broke out between the groups in Yelwa, a mainly Muslim town in southern Plateau State, leaving at least 78 Christians dead. In the period February to May, retaliatory clashes continued in the region. On 3-4 May, Tarok with support from other Christian groups attacked Fulani in Yelwa, in an apparently carefully coordinated attack leaving over 600 dead.
Following the early May clashes in Yelwa and subsequent retaliatory violence, President Obasanjo imposed a six-month state of emergency in Plateau State and appointed an interim Administrator, Chris Alli. Alli launched a number of initiatives to bring peace to the area, including dialogue among ethnic and religious groups, a programme for handing in weapons, and a peace conference. In July, a peace agreement was submitted to the government by Christian and Muslim leaders. However, the underlying causes of the conflict – grievances over land ownership, economic and political power and the disputed concept of “indigeneity” – remained unresolved.
With the state of emergency and the peace initiatives, relative peace returned to Plateau State. However, the conflict had repercussions elsewhere in the country, with retaliatory clashes between the groups breaking out in Kano, Jigawa and Kebbi states in northern Nigeria.
Terminated: NO
2006 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The discrepancy in the estimation of deaths is due to conflicting reports from the riots that constitute the activity in this year.
Comment on Active: Riots and unrest between the two communities was a predominant factor in the violence during 2006. The violence was mainly perpetrated by youths of the different religious groups acting on rumours and hearsay. One such incident involved the rumour of a female school teacher desecrating the Quran, a statement that sent enraged Muslim youths to the streets leading to clashes with Christian youths. These attacks were later retaliated by Christian groups. This chain of events was common and this spiralling effect of violence left well over a hundred people dead in 2006.
Terminated: NO
2007 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2009 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2010 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The bulk of the deaths were from clashes in Jos and Kuru Karama 17-20 January and in Dogo Nahawa, south of Jos, 7 March. In addition, many small-scale clashes and retaliatory attacks took place throughout January, March and April.
Comment on Active: In January, ethnoreligious clashes broke out in Jos, capital of Plateau state. Retaliatory clashes spread surrounding areas of the state during March-April. The causes for the violence was reported to be rooted in the issue indigeneity and connected to earlier clashes in Jos in 2001 and 2008. The government reacted to the violence by deployent of security forces as well as calls for the establishment of a Truth and Reconcilliation Committee to foster peace between the communities. In May, a curfew in place since the 2008 violence was lifted.
Terminated: NO
2011 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: The discrepancy in the estimation of deaths is due to conflicting reports on the events, particularly the post-election violence in April where some sources cited over a thousand dead.
Comment on Active: Riots and unrest between Christian and Muslim communities during 2011 was to the main part connected to the elections held that year. In particular, large-scale sectarian violence and riots broke out following the announcement that Goodluck Jonathan had won the presidential election. As it became clear on 17 April that the main northern candidate, Muhannadu Buhari, had lost, widespread protests took place in several cities in the northern states. The protests soon erupted in violence, with Muslim and Christian communities targeting each other and retaliatory attacks causing the violence to spread across the north. Humanitarian and other sources reported that at least 800 people died in the days following the presidential election results. In addition, a number of isolated clashes took place throughout the year, both before and after the April events.
Terminated: NO
2012 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: There was continued violence between Christians and Muslims in 2012, albeit on a much lower level than in 2011. Apart from tit-for-tat violence where mobs attacked churches and mosques respectively, there were also a number of instances of retaliatory attacks on Muslims by Christians, angered by Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati wal-Jihad’s (commonly called Boko Haram) violence against Christian civilians in the northern part of the country.
Terminated: NO
2013 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2014 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2015 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2016 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2017 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2018 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2019 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2020 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2022 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2023 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
